Comparison

Bamba PDF vs SmartReaderPDF

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Bamba PDF

Transform your iPhone into a private document scanner and PDF editor. Scan, sign, merge, and compress documents directly on your device without cloud uploads. Features include automatic edge detection, text recognition, and password protection.

Highlights
  • Private document scanning
  • Automatic edge detection
  • Scan multiple pages into one PDF
  • Searchable text recognition
  • PDF signing and form filling
  • PDF compression and password protection
  • Merge and organize PDFs
Features
Read full description

Bamba PDF turns your iPhone into a fast, private document scanner and PDF editor. No account and no cloud upload: your documents stay on your device. SCAN IN SECONDS โ€ข Automatic edge detection and perspective correction โ€ข Scan many pages into one PDF โ€ข Every scan is searchable: find and copy any text โ€ข Choose Small, Standard or High and see the exact file size before you save SMART NAMES (PRO) Scans name themselves, like "Invoice โ€“ Home Depot โ€“ Oct 2026", using Apple's on-device intelligence on supported devices. SIGN & FILL (PRO) Draw your signature once, then add it, along with text, dates and checkmarks, to any PDF. Fill in PDF forms and save them. SHRINK, LOCK AND ORGANIZE โ€ข Compress big PDFs for email and keep them searchable (Pro) โ€ข Protect private documents with a password (Pro) โ€ข Merge PDFs in any order โ€ข Turn photos into PDFs โ€ข Reorder, rotate and delete pages โ€ข Search file names and the text inside every document โ€ข Your documents also appear in the Files app PRIVATE BY DESIGN Text recognition, smart names and compression run entirely on your device. Nothing is uploaded. Works with Siri and Shortcuts: just say "Scan with Bamba PDF". BAMBA PDF PRO Pro unlocks smart names, sign & fill, compression, password protection and searchable imported PDFs, and removes ads. Try each Pro tool free 3 times. A No Ads plan is also available. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://bambapdf.altasofttech.com/privacy/

About

SmartReaderPDF

Features
Read full description

Introducing SmartPDFReader, the ultimate PDF generator that brings convenience and versatility to your fingertips! With our innovative app, you can effortlessly transform your photos into high-quality PDF files with just a few taps. Whether you need to organize a collection of memorable moments or convert important documents into a portable format, SmartPDFReader has you covered. What sets SmartPDFReader apart is its powerful offline editing feature. No matter where you are, you can create, edit, and customize your PDFs without requiring an internet connection. Seamlessly merge multiple images into one cohesive PDF, rearrange pages,. The possibilities are endless! Sharing your PDFs is also a breeze with SmartPDFReader. Whether you want to send a document to colleagues, friends, or family, the app provides seamless integration with popular messaging and cloud storage services. Share files instantly or upload them to platforms ensuring quick and secure access from any device. Experience the future of PDF generation with SmartPDFReader. Stay productive on the go, streamline your workflow, and unlock the full potential of your documents. Get ready to revolutionize how you view, edit, and share PDFs โ€” coming soon to the App Store!

Screenshots

Bamba PDF4 screens
SmartReaderPDF4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SmartReaderPDF at none against Bamba PDF's 3. SmartReaderPDF also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 20 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Bamba PDF sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. SmartReaderPDF asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bamba PDF ships an update every 20 months, SmartReaderPDF weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 5 level
Bamba PDF versus SmartReaderPDF: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBamba PDFSmartReaderPDF
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews100.0% of reviewsโ€”
Update frequencyEvery 20 monthsWeekly โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo โ€” better
MonetizationFreemiumโ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.012.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size6 MB44 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSabino DiazJOYFUL DOG (HK) CO., LIMITED

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Bamba PDF

Subscriptions3
  • Premium - No Ads$1.991 Month
  • Bamba PDF Pro โ€“ Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Bamba PDF Pro โ€“ Yearly$29.991 Year
None

SmartReaderPDF

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bamba PDF free?
Bamba PDF is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SmartReaderPDF free?
SmartReaderPDF is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Bamba PDF or SmartReaderPDF have ads?
Neither Bamba PDF nor SmartReaderPDF shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bamba PDF or SmartReaderPDF?
Bamba PDF ships an update every 20 months, and SmartReaderPDF weekly. Most recently, Bamba PDF was updated on October 30, 2026 and SmartReaderPDF on October 25, 2026.

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